Gordon Elliot Backs Delta Work Out of His 8 Grand National Runners
Should one of his eight runners emerge victorious, Elliot will join the esteemed ranks of Ginger McCain, Fred Rimell, and George Dockeray in the Grand National's hall of fame.
Gordon Elliott is gearing up to make a significant impact at the Randox Grand National with eight out of the 34 contenders from his stable. He is particularly bullish about Delta Work, who he regards as the top contender among his entries. As one of the top trainers of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, can Elliot enjoy a winning Grand National Festival too?
In a conversation with Aintree's clerk, Sulekha Varma, Elliot expressed optimism, encouraged by the forecast of predominantly dry weather leading up to the iconic jump race. This favourable outlook has prompted him to enter Galvin into the race.
However, Elliot has confirmed that Conflated, one of his entries, will not participate in Saturday's Grand National.
Instead, Conflated is set for Friday's Grade 1 My Pension Expert Melling Chase. This adjustment means that Noble Yeats, the 2022 champion, will now lead the lineup, resulting in a 1lb increase in the weights for the rest of the field.
"I spoke with the Aintree clerk early on Wednesday and she seemed to think both Thursday and Friday would be mainly dry so you never know how much the place is going to dry up, especially if the wind picks up," said Elliot.
"I'm going to give Galvin the benefit of the doubt and hopefully it will keep drying out for him. He's definitely got a chance if it does dry up a bit. He was bouncing before Cheltenham and it was a shame the cross-country race was cancelled. He seems to be in great form over the last few weeks as well."
Should one of his eight runners emerge victorious, Elliot will join the esteemed ranks of Ginger McCain, Fred Rimell, and George Dockeray in the Grand National's hall of fame.
Delta Work: Elliot's Pick!
Without a moment's hesitation, the trainer identified his prime contender for this achievement.
"Delta Work. He's been flying over the last few weeks and I've been delighted with his work. He's really starting to come to hand now and he'll love the conditions. He would be the pick of mine, but there are a few others in there with chances too."
Elliot's rise to prominence in the racing world was catapulted by his 2007 Grand National victory with Silver Birch, a triumph that occurred just weeks before he celebrated his inaugural win as a trainer in Ireland.
The saga continued with Tiger Roll, who clinched his first National victory 11 years later, and then again in 2019, solidifying his status as a favourite at 4-1 odds, with Davy Russell as the jockey for both wins.
"You need luck in the National more than any other race and we've been lucky enough to win it three times," said Elliot. "They were magic days and hopefully we might win it again some day.
"We'll never have another Tiger Roll, he was a horse of a lifetime, but I think there are a few in there this year capable of running big races for their owners. We're really looking forward to it."